Sometimes while trying to make sense of a situation you forget what got you there in the first place. I conceded to such when pondering my favorite hip hop albums of the year. I was so caught up in beats I didn’t have time to assimilate much in the way of true-school hip hop, and that’s unfortunate considering that 2011 was a banner year for a genre which many were claiming was in decline and fresh out of ideas. So why was 2011 a great year for hip hop? MC’s became dynamic personalities again, veterans made successful comebacks, a lot of artists realized the old blueprint was obsolete, and lines began to blur, creating limitless crossover potential between hip hop music and the all the new sounds surrounding it.
In order to help make sense of it all, I’ve invited writer/producer/hip hop junkie/all around mega-talent Mike Decline to share some of his favorite hip hop joints from 2011, which I will humbly contrast with a few of my own. 2 heads, 2 perspectives, no particular order, we hope you enjoy.
Evidence – Cats & Dogs (Rhymesayers)
I have always found Evidence, one third of Los Angeles’ Dilated Peoples, to be an incredibly boring emcee. Not to the discredit of the mans catalogue, but his sound has always been defined by the west coast slow banger, the simple monotone flow, the relative status braggadocio…Kinda like talking over a beat. When I picked this album up a few months ago, I wanted to throw out all of those preconceptions I had of Evidence because, well, its always nice to be surprised. Serving as his Rhymesayers debut, ‘Cats and Dogs’ enlists some outstanding guest appearances, which does not always render the desired effect however, but on this album it works so well. Evidence makes beats like a Californian Mobb Deep, and his attention to production tends to overshadow his abilities on the mic. Cats and Dogs serves as a good chance to catch an underground veteran who had his flirtations with mainstream success come back to reality. – mikedecline
Pete Rock and Smif-n-Wessun – Monumental (Duck Down)
This album needed to happen for many reasons. While it was interesting how hip hop was presented in 2011, the year could also be seen as the throwback year. There were so many yawners that muddled my headphones these past 12 months, so, to my surprise, it was the resurgence of hip hop veterans Tek and Steele and the legendary beatsmith Pete Rock who put out not only one of the best hip hop albums of 2011, but probably their respective best work in more 15 years…’Monumental’ speaks to the golden age purist, as the raps and beats FEEL like they came out in the mid 90s. Pete Rock does it again. Tek and Steele rap like they are giving people a history lesson, and the gap between ‘Da Shinin’ and ‘Monumental’ seems invisible. – mikedecline
Cunninlynguists – Oneirology (QN5)
I slept on this album heavily, and it is incredibly fitting that hip hop’s (probably) most slept on group dropped this spacey, melancholy moody opus that revolves around the concept of the processes and experiences one has while asleep. . Upon further investigation, the word oneirology lends itself to the scientific study of dreams, and it all falls into place once you realize that this is how the ‘Lynguists hoped to present their latest effort to your earholes. This album is a dream. Producer Kno once again takes his game to the next level. We have come accustomed to his sample heavy beats playing as the perfect co star to Natti and Deacon the Villain’s thoughtful and expansive lyrics, and to say that ‘Oneirology’ follows suit on this claim is an understatement. This is a group that constantly evolves, and it is amazing to see that after 10 years of making music, this latest offering is their most ambitious and complete to date. – mikedecline
J-Live – Said. Person. of That. Ability. (J-Live Music)
It’s crazy how a dude who has been so highly regarded for so long can still release an album with so little fanfare. J-Live has crafted his sound over the years, playing emcee, producer and DJ all at the same time. There always seems to be a certain level of intimacy a writer has with his or her own beats; knowing exactly how to make that perfect drum drop, subtle accentuations to bends in language, or just a simple scratch hook that makes you nod your head unconsciously. S.P.T.A breathes this sentiment in each track. The album is also blessed with beats by RJD2, Diamond D and Marco Polo, and each individual production plays so well into the sound J has developed for this project. Never be disappointed by this man, and if this is your first foray into a J-Live album, be prepared to add a new favorite emcee to your list. – mikedecline
The Roots - undun (Def Jam)
A late entry into the years album release schedule that completely caught me off guard. A work like this cannot go by without receiving mega daps. The legendary Philadelphia crew has tip toed the line between genres over the past 15 years, playing off the incredibly smooth and distinct delivery of Black Thought, backed by master drummer and band leader Questlove. ‘undun’ is a collection of songs that play into a loose story line, each individual track encapsulating a distinct feeling. To deliver such a well thought out and engaging album all the while touring and playing house band duties on late night TV is quite the feat. Plug this album in, and let it do the do. – mikedecline
Zeroh – awful-alterations (Self Released)
Zeroh spits refreshing and ferocious raps that are thoughtful, modest and bursting from the seems, but his notoriety remains limited to a small group of friends and fans who follow him on his Tumblr page. My guess is that he likes it that way. His delivery is unpredictable in both cadence and tone, and is equally unstable in it’s subject matter and emotional range, which can switch between confident taunts and endearing honesty in a split second. awful-alterations serves as a hyperactive cross-section of Zeroh’s unique talent, cycling through unbelievable raps and some singsongy RnB inflections (think Mos Def on “Umi Says”), delivered over a thoughtful selection of beats by the likes of Dimlite, Devonwho and Flying Lotus. If the new generation of scrappy Tumblr beat heads and Soundcloud super producers needs a spokesman, Zeroh undoubtedly fits the bill. Hopefully he’s not too shy for the spotlight. – therealwetpaint
Blu – No York! (Self Released)
To quote myself, “I’m not shocked by the amount of hate the LP received from the backpacking boom-bap revivalist sector, all of whom were dying for Blu to remaster Below the Heavens and call it a day. I don’t, however, understand how they didn’t see this coming”. No York! was a divisive effort indeed, littered with left-field beats and West Coast esoteria. A far cry from Below The Heavens, much to the shigrin of people who fell in love with the golden age euphoria induced by the Exile-produced opus. Blu is an artist’s artist and his output has never been defined by the beats he raps over, but by the hazy imagery he creates by way of dense, confessional lyrics. Here he updates the perception of California lifestyle utilizing the new sounds of Los Angeles, replete with synthesized knock and chalky psychedelia, and paints lovely pictures of lazy daily routines and subtle nostalgia. This is the album Blu wanted to make, the album he needed to make, and offers some heartfelt perspectives delivered the way only he can. This time around he’s just having a little more fun with it. – therealwetpaint
Has-Lo – In Case I Don’t Make It (Mello Music Group)
In Case I Don’t Make It is not a casual affair. This is challenging music that’s rarely positive, often existential, and always self-aware. Familiar themes are approached in new and evocative ways, dispersing with the cautionary storytelling associated with conscious hip hop, and replacing it with a dense, despondent narrative that is both shocking and shockingly entertaining. Has-Lo phases in and out of first and third person perspectives, but it’s always clear whose situation he’s describing: his, yours, mine and anybody who has ever felt the walls closing in on them. To make things even better (or is it worse?), the productions bolster the feeling of every track so well that sometimes it’s almost suffocating in conjunction with his knack for weaving lucid imagery. Don’t be scared away by this one. Those who stay the course will discover the most serious and complete album of the year. – therealwetpaint
Ethereal – Abstractica (Self Released)
Ethereal is from Atlanta, believe it or not. He sounds like he’s from Cali, his beats hail from one of Jupiter’s 50 moons, and his album art looks like it was lifted from a Vampire Weekend demo tape. He’s also probably the most refreshing and slept on artist of the year, an answer to the low fidelity shrine Spaceghostpurrp created for Three 6 Mafia. While the internet unanimously salivated over Spaceghostpurrp’s syrupy smoke-session anthems, Ethereal quietly released an effort (via Yelawolf’s Slumerica imprint[?]) incorporating influences far less trite and ending up with music far better executed. Incorporating elements of ambient, drum and bass (which he also competently produces, with numerous efforts to his credit), drowsy RnB, and a hodgepodge of rap, Abstractica is the portrait of a young artist whose scope is clearly more panoramic than that of his southern peers. My guess is he spent just as much time listening to Goldie and Freestyle Fellowship as he did UGK and Outkast, and that’s just fine by me. – therealwetpaint
Shabazz Palaces – Black Up (Sub Pop)
Most of us didn’t need the Pitchfork validation, but it’s good for the genre. Shabazz Palaces’ experimental beats and free-cognitive lyrics struck a chord with almost anybody in ear range this year, and for good reason: no other album clearly and concisely proved hip hop’s renewed capability of producing new and exciting ideas. Their move to Sub Pop ensured they would finally gain the recognition they deserved and I’m thankful for it, despite the fact it was deserved last year with their superior self-released EPs, Shabazz Palaces and Of Light (check them out, please). This album has been hyped, so I won’t say much more than this: Black Up showed the average music fan that the best rap doesn’t have to be Yacht Rap, Purist Rap, or Club Rap, but can be something completely devoid of template, effectively proving that the art form is very much alive and well. #AlbumOfTheYear. – therealwetpaint
File Under: Heavy-handed rap beats for those who operate off the grid.
File Under: Ridiculously hyped beat tape that actually lives up to the hype.
File Under: Low End beats from a UK point of view.
File Under: Fuzzy lo-fi for those who prefer Mac over Windows.
File Under: An introduction to beat culture for underground rap enthusiasts.
File Under: Porn for MC’s who love video games.
File Under: Progressive beats for those who think that less is more.
